About Me

Read the daily musings of our beloved Angel Abby who passed over to the Rainbow Bridge August 12,, 2013. Our sister Gracie recently passed OTRB 2/11/14. Join our two Tabby Brothers, Ping and Jinx, and their Tuxedo sister Boo along the journey as they all adapt to new life with Manx Calico Annabelle who joined our family December 2013.

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Sunday, January 22, 2012

Sunday Morning Update

I think you can see how sick she is feeling. This is the way she was acting yesterday. It was a few steps back from where she was coming home on Friday evening.

This is where she is spent a lot of her day. Yesterday was a tough one.

But this morning she was up and she greeted me when I got up. (She gets up before I do and I always let her out of the bedroom when she is ready to go) She followed me as her normal custom into the laundry room where I start cleaning the first litterbox. It is a sign to her to take care of her business and she did. YAY I am happy and I mean thatto report a good poop! She had already taken care of the pee so we had good P & P!She looked perky, and alert so I had hopes she would eat as she seemed to be interested in her dry food. She did nibble on about 5 bites which I am taking that as a very positive sign. That's 5 more bites than she did yesterday. I offered her water and she took it so I started putting a breakfast together for her. I heated up some ham baby food for her, as that is one of the things she has been licking off my fingertips. I just got some Slippery Elm Bark which is very very good for coating her stomach and settling it down. If you are a reader of Tanya's website, she has some really great information on Slippery Elm and Sandy the Cancer Cat has also been giving us good heads up on what to do. Thank you so much Sandy's Mom!!! So the first time trying to get the baby food, her old food, and some organic soy plain yogurt (mixed with the Slippery Elm) was modestly successful. She wasn't in the mood to eat much but I got a few fingertips worth of food into her. I tried putting in on her nose and putting in on her paw and believe me I got more of a mess than she did as that approach isn't going to work for her. So I stressed her enough for awhile. With Slippery Elm you don't mix it with medications, and it advises you wait 1-2 hrs either prior to or after using it before medicines. So I let her alone and then it was time for pilling. It went 100% better today and we got it in the first try. She is better today as she was working at fighting us to pill her. If anyone has watched any of the YouTube videos on how they show you to pill a cat, You'll laugh. Because the cats they use just sit there so docile and nice, nope that is not what a cat will do, especially one who is not used to having to take a pill. I had talked to Abby prior to doing it and told her what we were doing and why explaining this would make her feel better and that if she would cooperate just a bit it would be over in 2 seconds. She didn't quite cooperative but she wasn't uncooperative either, so I hope I was able to positively send her the message that this was being done to get her to feel better and it would be over very quickly. So afterwards she jumped up on the Dining Room table (where her dry food is) and since her Daddy bought her a new scratcher she went immediately to her scratcher. Then she let me give her some back rubs which is our little ritual for her to eat some dry food, and she did. She ate another 5 bites, and drank some more water, and for better or worse, I gave her 2 temptations because she normally LOVES those so much. And she ate those too! So I'll see how she does through the day and make a determination if I should take her in tomorrow to the Vet. I hope she continues to improve. I mean the improvements since yesterday is amazing, in fact it amazes me how quickly they turn around.

Thank you to everyone for their kindnesses and concerns. Thank you for your advise and shoulders to cry on. This is truly a great community we have and it is so wonderful to have such a tremendous resources to lean upon.

UPDATE 6PM

I have made the syrup that Tanya CRF{http://felinecrf.org/holistic_treatments.htm#SEB1} site recommended for Slippery Elm Bark and gave it to Abby. (I tried it myself first and honestly it isn't bad, in fact it had more of a non taste than anything) She wasn't happy about it, and because she was fighting me, told me she is so much better today than she was yesterday. After I gave that to her I waited awhile before I fed her dinner, Because this mixture helps coat the inner lining of the inflamed area and I thought it best to wait, and when I presented her "old" wet food to her, she hemmed and hawed a bit, but then she thought about it and dug in. She ate much better. So I feel very relieved. She has always taken water when I offered so that was never an issue. We will just take this day to day and see how things go.

I highly recommend Tanya's site if you are not familiar with it. She did start it out as a CRF website for cats, but it has evolved into much more, and there are so many resources on it.

Thank you to everyone again. I so appreciate the outpouring of support!

35 comments:

We're very glad to read an encouraging update, and hope that Abby continues to improve. Has the vet put her on a short-term course of Pred if it's IBD? Something else? The mom can't remember what the meds are, or if you specified.

We're continuing to send healing purrs and universal Light, are continuing to cross our paws for Abby--and for you too, because the stress of worry can make you sick. Please make sure you take care of your Self too.

We are really happy to read this and paws are crossed progress continues. SHe sounds so much better today, but as we all know, it's one day at a time - well, more like one meal at a time. Purrs are continuing.

Oh poor Abby, I do hope that she continues on the mend and starts to feel better very soon. I've only just read all about Abby being sick as I haven't been able to get on the computer much recently - sending you all our heartfelt hugs, purrs and well wishes xoxo

OMG! What thrilling news! Sometimes a restful night in your furry own home with your furry own peepuls is the best medicine of all! The sight of her up to greet you must have made this the happiest of mornings! YAY!

We are so happy Abby is doing better! Our mean old Mommy has been "too Busy" to type for us but we've had our purrers going Full Blast for Abby. Tiny meals, often, and she'll hopefully be even better tomorrow.

Mommy is an ACE piller, she blows in our nostrils and it produces an automatic swallowing reflex. And she doesn't care if we bite...she does NOT play fair, sometimes.

Just found out about dear Abby, our pretty kitty furriend! So sorry to hear about her health, but in reading your post, mom, I'm discovering remedies I had never heard of before. If they help her turn around, there's a big pat on the back on its way!!

Abby, we are purring and praying that you are in tip-top shape very soon!

One pilling trick we have found very helpful: most of the pills taste nasty which is part of the reason cats hate being pilled. To get rid of the nasty taste, we buy the smallest size of gelatin capsules and sometimes even cut those down smaller for a really small cat. Then pop the pill into the capsule (sometimes it requires for the pill to be halved to fit in the capsule) and then down the hatch. They don't taste a thing except for the treat that immediately follows the pilling.

Oh that is such good news about Abby. We have been worried about her and it sure sounds like she is feeling a little better. Giving those pills is really hard with some cats. So we are sending tons and tons of purrs Abby that you will continue to recover and get all better. Thanks for the update. Take care.

Thanks for updating us about Abby. It is good to hear that she is feeling better - let's hope this continues and she won't have to go back to the vet on Monday. Purrs and hugs that you both feel better!

Whew - I am so relieved. Was getting really worried about Abby. That's the great thing about Blogosphere and Twitter - there is always someone who has a good idea to share. M still has her in her prayers, and i'm sitll purring for her. purr purr purr purr

Tho it was a different disease still I know everything you're going thru as I went thru things every day with Admiral..it was hard on us both. I know how you feel as all of us do, and trust me...I have been thinking of all of you since she fell ill.

Oh my goodness! We haven't been over here in a while, and didn't know that poor lil' Abby wasn't doing well. And I can't believe that you have never given a cat pills before! What a life you have led to this point! Yes, pilling a cat can be quite difficult. And with some of the cats here at Forty Paws, they don't get pilled EVER because they will not accept a pill or anything close to a pill coming at them! Like G.T. and Jenny! So, as long as she is eating, and you can get pills into her, maybe she won't have the butt explosions, and will start feeling better? We are sending you tons of purrs and purrayers and hugs during this time.